Teaser
by SaberTail
Summary: Beautiful turtles keep Raphael from going totally crazy and Mikey just likes to dance and get paid for it.


Raphael sunk into the too comfortable chair. The music thrummed through the floor, through his seat, and into his body. It was mostly heavy bass beats of modern electronic. Or the heavy background bass of popular rap. He pressed the cigarette to his lips again and took a long drag. He blew the smoke away from the stage, as per usual. The bartender told him this dancer especially didn't like that the place allowed nicotine sticks. So Raph either brought one of the electronic ones, or made sure to keep the smoke away from the stage.

He always sat in the same place. He always sunk into the same chair. And he always danced on the same stage, right in front of his chair. Well not always. There were a couple of weeks where Raph had to follow him around. Once or twice he wasn't even at the club. Eventually the owners caught on and always scheduled him for Thursday and Friday nights. The only two days Raph entered the building. He supposed the Turtle Titan (that was his stage name, Raphael didn't really get how that matched up) probably noticed him too. If he didn't notice Raph watching him, he definitely noticed the two hundred dollar bills he dropped on the stage every night before he left.

The manager looked at him expectantly every time he entered the place. Probably waiting for him to buy a dance of some sort, but he never did. He imagined that they were pretty frustrated by him. After all, tips weren't affected by the clubs fees, so the guy he tipped got all two hundred bucks. Though he still did end up paying the fifteen dollar entrance fee, and sometimes bought a drink or two, so no one ever bothered him.

The song changed, and he changed his movements along with it. He was pretty great with that pole. Twirled around like no one else Raph had ever seen. There was also something about his tail. It swung around with him as he swung around, but sometimes he'd stop in a lull of the music, and his tail would twitch, or even lift. Raphael knew that someone had probably told him to do that. The guy had a cute ass and showing it off probably got him more money, but damn did it work a little too well.

It had gotten to the point where sometimes he would lapse at work cause he was thinking about that tail. That was the only part of the Turtle Titan he ever thought about touching. Not really while watching him, but when he was in the office daydreaming he wondered how it would feel in his hands. Wondered if he might squeak at the touch.

There were rules though, so he tended to try to table those thoughts to the back of his mind. Especially when he was watching.

Raph took another drag of his cigarette. Titan took another spin around the pole. The club gained another workaholic customer, looking for some fun. Raph didn't really pay that last one any heed, just kept his amber eyes locked on the turtle in front of him.

That was until he heard a disbelieving "Raphael?" behind him. He jumped at the call of his name, and spun around to face whoever had said it. He gasped and then yelled "What da hell are you doing here!" Realizing what he'd just done, Raph took glances around the club. The bouncers had narrowed their eyes and tensed their muscles. The titan's sky blue eyes were wide, but his arms and legs were equally as tense.

Raphael coughed. "Uh... M'sorry bout that. Just a bit shocked. M'fine now." He held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. The bouncers eyed him wearily but chose not leap at him. The tension slowly dissolved. The Titan grinned slowly and went back to doing his job. The rest of the dancers soon followed.

Raph wanted to go back to watching, but first there was someone here to talk to him. "What the hell are you doing here, Leonardo?"

He pushed his blue framed glasses up a bit. Then smiled. "What I can't have some fun on my nights off?" His cheeks were flushed and he didn't appear to be totally stable on his feet. "Are you drunk?"

"Oh. Well. Not drunk. Tipsy probably."

"But... You're a total hardass."

"At work sure. There we have responsibilities. But when I'm not surrounded by paperwork..." He peered around Raphael to look at the Titan, Raph clenched his fist, but then did his best to calm himself. There was no sense in getting so worked up. He was going to ask Leo to leave him alone, calmly and without anger, when he opened his mouth again. "Didn't really know you swung this way Raph."

He hadn't really been expecting that. What was this, some sort of attempt at office drama? Raph rolled his eyes and waved him off. "Half the office already knows you ass. Nice try though." He'd learned back in high school that keeping his sexuality a secret just pissed him off. He didn't need the extra anger.

"What? I didn't say anything about telling anyone." The smirk said differently. Bastard.

"Could you just leave me be? Jeez."

"Okay. Okay. I'll stop giving you grief." He took another look over Raph's shoulder. His eyes widened at something. "How about I give you something else instead though." Raphael eyed him wearily. Leo was usually so cautious and formal. Now he just seemed drunk and impulsive.

He strode right past Raphael and up to the stage, leaning on it. Raphael silently wondered if that had to with him being drunk or him wanting to get the titan's attention. Probably both.

"Hey cutie." He said a little bit louder than nessecary. The Titan turned, his bright blue eyes scanning Leonardo.

"Yes?" His voice was pretty high pitched for a guy, but it didn't sound girlish. Instead, young would be the more appropriate term. This half matched his looks and half didn't. He looked young, but a muscled slightly, making it obvious that he took good care of his body.

"Do you mind giving my friend here a dance?" He held out some cash, which Raph assumed was the right amount for a dance at this joint. He'd never checked. The Titan walked over to the edge of the stage, took the cash, and counted it.

When he discerned that it was the right amount he stuck his hand in the air and made a sign that probably told his bosses he'd gotten a dance.

Leonardo strolled right past him, letting his hand slide onto and then off of his shoulder. He didn't really need to whisper "enjoy" as he strolled past, but did anyway.

Raph eyes skittered back to the Titan as he tried to get Leo out of his mind. His hands clenched and he forced his arms to his sides. His reclusion caused the Titan to smile as he hopped off the stage. He stuffed the money Leo had paid into his thigh highs and said "You don't really want a dance do you?"

Raph shook his head mechanically. He could now see that the Titan was about four or so inches shorter than him. Well so much for him being a 'Titan'.

"Yeah I didn't think so. You've never asked for one before." He tilted his head slightly, pondering what he'd just said. His confusion brightened and his face split into a very wide smile. "Well, your friend over-"

"He really isn't-"

"Okay okay. That guy over there still paid me for the time. So why don't we just... talk. I sort of wanted some water anyway." He walked right past Raphael and toward the bar. When he didn't follow he waved him closer.

He followed, stiffly. "A water for me and a..."

"Uh... Just a beer I guess."

"A beer for my friend."

The bartender smiled. "Sure thing, Mikey." Her red ponytail flicked as she twirled to get the drinks.

Raph stiffened. He usually just watched this guy from afar, and now it was all up close and personal. He wasn't really sure what to do. He even knew his name now. He saw the conversation entrance and took it. "So uh... Mikey?"

"Huh? Oh yeah that's my name. Don't worry. She didn't really blurt it out. Plus that isn't really my actual name anyway. Though since you've got that much, what about yours?"

"My name?"

"Mmhmm."

"Oh uh… Raphael."

He considered for a moment then nodded. "I like it. Renaissance artist. Very nice." He smiled, barely showing teeth, and Raph got a feeling that there was some sort of joke he wasn't in on.

"Anyway, since you know what I do." He gestured generally to the entire building. "Can I ask what your work is?"

Okay... Raph hadn't really expected them to start talking about such normal things, what was this anyway? Twenty questions? Still, he nodded stiffly and began explaining. "I work for a law firm actually. Defense. I don't really go inta cases, cause arguin' isn't really a good idea for me, but I set em up, cases I mean, and do interrogations sometimes. Stuff like dat. I technically could go inta court, have da credentials, but I don't really wanna deal with assholes on the stand."

Mikey grabbed his water, which had just arrived, and sipped from it, nodding. "So you don't like arguing, yet you got a job as a lawyer?"

"I like helpin' people." He shrugged as he gulped down some beer from the bottle that also had just been placed in front of him.

He smiled widely. "Like a modern day superhero?"

"Somethin' like dat." He grinned despite not having liked comic books since he was ten.

"Ya like superheroes then?"

"Yeah! Justice Force. Spider-Man. Tsunami. I've always been a big fan. Sometimes I even read comic books when I'm not dancing." His eyes were sparkling as he said this.

Raph always thought this guy looked young, and before he thought about it he blurted. "How old are you exactly?"

Mikey gave him a blank look. Raph suddenly realized his mistake and tried to rectify it with "I-I mean not dat ya look to young for the job or anything. I just... um..."

Mikey doubled over in laughter, leaning into the counter to make sure he wouldn't fall into the floor. "Oh my... god!" His laughter slowly died down until it was just giggles. Raph's face felt hot. "Oh man. The look on your face. Damn. Blushing like a schoolgirl. Don't worry, man. I get that all the time. Everyone thinks I look younger than I should."

"Oh."

"Yeah. I'm twenty-three if you're curious though."

"Really?" He exclaimed a little too loudly. A couple people looked over at him again.

Mikey shushed him a bit. "Dude you're gonna get in trouble again. But yeah I'm twenty-three."

"That's only three years younger than me. Jeez."

"Yep! I always surprise people with that number. I think some people assume eighteen cause they won't hire you if you aren't at least that age. I guess some might even assume I'm doing this illegally." He didn't seem too bothered though and just kept sipping his water.

Raph shrugged. He believed he was telling the truth. He looked young, but didn't seem like a total screwball.

"So..." He stretched the word out like taffy. "You like watching me dance?"

Raphael choked on his drink, coughing into his hand. "Well yer pretty direct, huh?"

He was barely not laughing at Raph's reaction. "Direct and curious yeah."

"Well uh... yeah I guess I do. What of it?"

"Yet you never ask for a personal dance? Even now?"

"Uh... well... no."

Mikey sank back into his chair and put a hand to his chin. It was slightly calloused from spinning around the pole for such a long time. His fingers stroked his chin as his eyes became pensive. "And why's that exactly..." He seemed to say it more to himself, but Raph still figured he'd answer anyway.

"Well... It's more than one reason, but the first is that I feel you deserve the money more than anyone else. You're the one who's doing all the work, and if I give the money to you directly you get all of it."

"Fair enough I suppose, but I don't really think I do ALL the work. They make sure the place has AC and drinks and stages. I couldn't dance without a place to dance on, and honestly the more people drink the more money I tend to get."

"Eh whatever. No one would come ta dis place if it were just AC an' drinks." He took another gulp from his drink.

"Well... I'm flattered, but I sort of doubt that."

"Do ya?"

"Oh come on, Raphael. What's a place with AC and drinks?"

"Um..." He was still a bit dumbfounded at hearing Mikey's voice say his name. It usually was said with disdain at worst, or with rough brotherly affection at best. Not with a bubbly, almost flirtatious tone.

"A bar dude! I mean I thought that was obvious."

"Oh..."

"Are you okay? You looked kind of... blank for a second there."

"Umm... yeah I'm fine. Sorry... just uhhh was thinking about this case I'm in the middle of."

"Are my good looks not enough to distract you, mr. workaholic?" He said this with a smirk and leaned forward on the counter, invading Raphael's personal space just slightly.

"Uh... Well..."

"Yo! Titan! Your dance time was over five minutes ago, we need you back on stage pronto."

"Well... shit." He hung his head on the desk and took a large gulp of water from his glass, nearly finishing it off. "Same time next week? Maybe next time you can pay for your own dance huh?" His air quotes around dance suggested another conversation was in order.

He started to stroll off when Raph called him back. "I uh never gave you your tip." He pressed two crisp hundred dollar bills toward him. Mikey took them with a smile and pressed a peck to his cheek before strutting off to entertain the men who walked through the doors of the club.


End file.
